Inheritance
by Broadway-n-Bubbles
Summary: Takes place 10 years in the future. Ellie passes away and leaves Marco her greatest possesion. How does this change Marco's life?
1. Prized Posession

A/N: I don't own Degrassi AT ALL pouts The chapter's short, I know, but tell me what you think and I'll add more.  
  
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"Mr.Del Rossi, my name is Charlie Sparrow, Ellie Nash's lawyer. I'm sure you've heard the news of Ellie's passing. Even though there was no will, Ellie had one wish, and it was to leave you her prized possesions. Please call me back at you earliest convienience. My office number is 555-6922. End Message." The answering machine spoke.  
  
Dylan hugged Marco from behind. Since Ellie died, it had been really hard on him.  
  
The two finished bringing in their groceries and then settled on the couch to watch a movie.  
  
"Why do you think this lawyer wants to talk to me?" Marco asked picking up the phone.  
  
"Maybe Ellie left you a fortune." Dylan joked.  
  
"Yes..Mr.Sparrow. Of course, now?" Marco sighed. "Sure."  
  
"He wants me there now." Marco told his boyfriend.  
  
"Ok, do you want me to come?" Dylan asked.  
  
Marco smiled. "Please?"  
  
"Of course."  
  
They got in the car and drove downtown Toronto until the reached a large gray building with a sign outside that read "The Law Offices of Bailey,Thatcher, and Sparrow."  
  
"This is it." Marco said nervously, getting out of the car.  
  
Once inside the building they went to the receptionist's desk and were directed towards Mr. Sparrow's office.  
  
"Mr. Del Rossi?" A tall african-american man asked as Marco opened the door.  
  
"Yes." Marco replied.  
  
"I'm Charlie Sparrow, and this is Elouise, Ellie's most prized possesion." A small girl no older than four emerged from behind Mr.Sparrow.  
  
"I'm not sure I understand. I inherited Ellie's daughter. I didn't even know Ellie had a daughter." Marco said, overwhelmed.  
  
"Ellie was a single mother when she died. Since she had no other relatives, and the father's not around, she left Elouise in your care if anything happened to her." Mr.Sparrow explained. "It's either you, or foster care.  
  
"No, we're not gonna let that happen to her. She'll live with us." Marco finally agreed.  
  
After signing some paperwork, Marco and Dylan brought Eloise home to their apartment.  
  
"Are you my daddy?" Eloise asked Marco.  
  
"Yes,sweetie." Marco answered.  
  
"Daddy, where's my room?"  
  
Marco showed her her bedroom, and while she was getting settled, he and Dylan talked over how to explain to Eloise how she went from one Mommy to two Daddies.  
  
"Why don't we just say I'm her brother." Dylan said.  
  
"I have a son who's older than me?" Marco refused the idea.  
  
"How about Unlce Dylan." Dylan suggested.  
  
"That'll have to do." Marco agreed.  
  
"Daddy, I'm hungry." Eloise fussed.  
  
"Okay, why don't you and uncle Dylan go watch some tv while I make dinner." Marco offered.  
  
"'Kay." Eloise wrapped her hand around Dylan's finger while he led her into the living room.  
  
Marco smiled, this just might work out after all. 


	2. Two Daddies

"Daddy?" Eloise came out of her room, half asleep.  
  
"What's the matter?" Dylan asked.  
  
"Where's Daddy?" Eloise asked sounding a little nervous.  
  
"He had to go to work, so it's just you and me." Dylan explained.   
  
He was glad he and Marco worked out this plan to alternate taking days off. They still didn't think Eloise was ready to be with a babysitter just yet.  
  
"Can I have cereal for breakfast?"  
  
Dylan smiled "Of course you can. Do you want to eat in on the porch?"  
  
"Can you come too?" She asked.  
  
"You bet."  
  
Dylan brought two bowls of cereal out to the screened in porch and placed them on the table. He wasn't really hungry so he just read the paper while she ate.  
  
"Uncle Dylan? Can I call you my daddy too?" Eloise asked with hopefulness in her eyes.  
  
"Sure, how come?"  
  
"Because I want two daddies." She smiled and kept eating her cereal.  
  
"Do you want to take a walk?" Dylan asked, noticing she finished her cereal.  
  
"Yes, will you come too?"  
  
"Of course sweetie." Why was she so curious as to whether or not he would go places with her, the porch, on a walk?  
  
They walked to the park where Eloise swung for a good 10 minutes, and then complained of being hungry. Dylan took her to the restaurant where he and Marco worked.  
  
"Daddy!" Eloise shreiked when she saw Marco.   
  
Marco beamed. Eloise ran up to him and hugged him tight.  
  
"Joe I'm gonna take up break." Marco went to eat lunch with his family.  
  
Family, he liked the sound of that. As weird as it may be, he had a family. A great family who he loved. Maybe Ellie for saw this before she died. Maybe she thought he needed a family. He looked to the sky and smiled.  
  
"Thanks." He whispered.  
  
"Daddy! Come one!" Eloise whined.  
  
"Ok, ok." He laughed sitting next to Dylan and holding his hand under the table.  
  
"She asked to call me Daddy too. She said she wanted two daddies." Dylan whispered happily into Marco's ear.  
  
Marco stroked Dylan's hand with his thumb. This arangement was working out very nicely after all.  
  
"Yay! Grilled cheese!!!!" Eloise beamed when their lunch arrived.  
  
Maroc and Dylan decided they were going to take her shopping when Marco got off work. They wanted to buy her new clothes, and sheets for her bed, anything that would make the guest room, and the whole apartment feel more like home to her.  
  
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"Ooh!! Pretty!" Eloise exclaimed pointing to a pink set of bed sheets with ballerinas on them.  
  
"Can I have those?" She asked.  
  
Dylan nodded. Eloise had such a great time picking out things at the store. She just couldn't wait to try it all on when she got home. It seemed like it didn't take very long for her to get used to her new life style. 


	3. Getting Used to Parenthood

A/N: I got a review that said EXACTLY This:: A 4-year-old girl's mother dies and she is given to be raised by two men she's never even met and she NEVER misses her mother or wonders when she's coming back, accepts two strangers as her new daddies without even the slightest hesitation and both men instantly love her as their daughter without any kind of misgivings? Come on! This is WAY too candy-coated and unreal! Why don't you just watch the story unfold before you dis it. And, incase you forgot/ THIS IS FICTION!!!!!!!! Marco and Dylan woke up to Eloise screaming. They ran to her room to comfort her. She bolted upright in her bed and white as a ghost. "What's wrong?" Marco asked rushing to hug her. "Scary dream. Can I sleep with you?" Marco looked from Eloise to Dylan and then back to Eloise. How would they explain to her that they slept in the same bed? "Daddy two can you sleep in Daddy's bed too?" guess they wouldn't have to. They all climbed in Marco and Dylan's bed and put in The Little Mermaid for Eloise to watch. within minutes she was asleep. "I wonder why she was so scared." Dylan said. "Who knows." Marco patted Eloise. "You know someday, when she's older she's gonna make the connection." Dylan was referring to the two of them. "Yea, but for now let's not try to explain it, she's for, she probably doesn't even know what "gay" means." In the morning, when Eloise woke up, she was on the couch in the living room. "Did you move me?" She asked Marco who was in the kitchen making breakfast. "Yes I did. When I woke up I didn't want you to be alone." "Okay, Can I brush my teeth." Marco smiled "Yup,do you know where it is?" She nodded and trotted off to the bathroom down the hall. She really did look like Ellie, Marco realized. Red hair, pale skin, tiny frame, but where did the curly hair come from? Ellie didn't have curly hair. Must be a trait from her father. But, who was Eloise's biological father. He was probably a bum, so Marco really didn't think much about it. "I'm done." Eloise said happily flashing Marco a big smile so he could see her shiny white teeth. "Ooh,pretty." He replied happily. After they both got dressed Marco took Eloise to meet Miss Calloway who lived downstairs. She had a daycare center, so if Eloise hit it off with her, they wouldn't have to worry about leaving her with a babysitter. About five minutes after they got there, Miss Calloway noted that Eloise was 'very quick to get along with people.' That was always a good thing. Miss Calloway made them chicken nuggets for lunch and then Marco took her back home for her nap. When she went to sleep he went to call Dylan. "Hey, I was thinking, who do you think Eloise's biological father is?" "I don't know, I didn't really know Ellie as well as you did." "You don't think it was Sean do you?" Marco suggested. "Like i said I don't know I gotta get back to work, ok. I'll see you when I get home. I love you." "I love you too." Marco hung up. Why was he so concerned about Eloise's dad. Maybe he just felt bad for her, not knowing her dad, and going from living with one mom to living with two mixed up flamboyantly gay dads. Poor kid. But, she seemed happy, so he wasn't gonna worry about it. "Hunny I'm home." Dylan joked as he opened the door. "Shh." Marco said "She's still asleep." Marco and Dylan worked on getting dinner ready for when Eloise woke up. She was cranky so they just let her watch TV until it was time for dinner. "I don't like this." She whined picking at the spaghetti. "Well, what do you like??" Marco tried to stay calm. "Peanut Butter & Jelly?" Dylan suggested. "Yummy." Eloise smiled. Although Marco was a little upset, he tried not to let it get to him, weren't all kids picky eaters? He just let her eat her sandwich, and then gave her a bath and went to bed. "Hopefully she won't wake up tonight." He said, kissing Dylan. Suprisingly, Eloise slept through the night and woke up around seven. Both Marco and Dylan had the day off, and they planned to take her up to Montreal to see the biodome. "Do you want some grapefruit juice?" Dylan asked. "Grapefruits are icky." She replied plainly. "Are you ready to go then?" Marco asked picking her up. "Yup." She nodded. They had a great time at the biodome. Eloise took a real liking to the ducks and penguins. Once they got outside. She ran around flaling her arms in there. "Quack. Quack-quack." She said imitating a duck. "Do you like the duckies?" Dylan asked. "Yup." she nodded happily. "Do you wanna eat here or go home?" Marco asked "Here!Here!Here!" She shouted. "Alright." Marco & Dylan replied. 


	4. Eloise's Father

He lie awake at night thoughts buzzing through his head. Did the lawyer know? He didn't think Marco had any idea. What would he tell Marco? Would telling him break them up? He hoped not.  
"Daddy?" Eloise walked into the bedroom.  
"Yes sweetie?"  
"Can you come sleep in my room? I'm scared."  
"Sure." Dylan grabbed a pillow and blanket and put them on the floor of Eloise's room. He'd think of something by the time Marco got home from work tomorrow. He had to. When Marco went to work the next morning Dylan treated Eloise extra special. Around 3pm, befor Marco was expected, he brought her over to Miss Calloway's.  
"Hey." Marco said when he came home.  
"Hey."  
"What's up, Eloise napping?"  
"Nope, she's at Grace's. I have to talk to you."  
Marco walked over to Dylan and put his arm around his shoulder.  
"What's up?" Marco asked.  
"I know who Eloise's father is."  
Marco gasped.  
"Who."  
"Me." A tear rolled down Dylan cheek as he got up and walked out to the porch.  
Marco was flabbergasted. He ran out to Dylan and embraced him.  
"What-how-you're-" Marco was at a loss for words.  
"It was a drunken night, and I, I'm sorry." Dylan cried.  
"Is that why you stopped drinking?"  
Dylan nodded.  
"THAT'S WHY!" Marco had a realization. "That's why Eloise was left to me, because Ellie knew we would be together, and she wanted Eloise to be with her father."  
Dylan couldn't speak. Tears kept rolling down his cheeks.  
"I understand why you kept it from me, I just...you know I hate secrets." Marco sighed.  
"Okay. I'm sorry." Dylan finally said.  
"Should we tell her?" Marco asked.  
"No secrets right?"  
"Yea, let's just wait until tomorrow." Marco said as he went to get Eloise.  
Dylan sighed. He took that suprisingly well. Usually when Marco's upset, he gets all flustered and in a rage. Dylan glanced upwards.  
"Thanks, Ellie." He spoke to the sky.  
-  
Marco couldn't move. He tried to act all fine with it for Dylan's sake, but... how was he supposed to be fine with a situation like THIS? Would Dylan be fine with it if Marco went off and had sex with Dylan's best friend and then blamed it on being drunk? "No." Marco said out loud.  
He sat in the hall for a very long time contemplating whether or not to break up with Dylan. He finally decided no to, because of Eloise. He had to do what was best for her, even if she wasn't HIS child. He was in love with her father, and if he was going to make it work, he had to thin kof Eloise first and foremost. 


	5. Del Rossi Nash Michalchuk

"Goodnight." Marco kissed Eloise's forehead.  
Marco walked into his bedroom and laid down.  
"It's going to be okay." He whispered into Dylan's ear.  
"I'm sorry." Dylan whispered.  
Dylan woke up in the middle of the night. He couldn't sleep, and he needed to talk to someone. He couldn't talk to Marco, he just couldn't. He picked up the phone and dialed his sister's number.  
"Paige, can we take a walk?"  
"Yea, give me five minutes."  
Paige drove over to Dylan's apartment, he sounded upset on the phone. When she got there, Dylan told her everything.  
"Dylan...why didn't you tell me?"  
"I don't know, I didn't tell anyone, I just...can we walk?"  
They walked over to the cemetary and sat down by Ellie's headstone.  
"Ellie, look what we've got ourselves into. We were just two drunk teenagers, didn't think anything of it. And now, my life's falling apart. WHY'D YOU HAVE TO GO!" Dylan cried. "Oh Ellie, what does this all mean."  
"C'mon Dyl, let's go."  
Dylan shook off the tears and walked into the apartment. He was tired and upset, and still he couldn't sleep. He just kept thinking about that day, the day he found out.  
  
FLASHBACK "Dylan, I'm pregnant." Ellie cried.  
"Because of, Paige's party??"  
Ellie nodded solemnly.  
"This can't happen, I'm gay, and 19, and you're, you're straight and only 17." Dylan paced.  
"Dylan, we were drunk, when people are under the influence...things happen."  
"You're suprisingly calm about all this."  
"Well, do you think I should-you know.." Ellie started.  
"Get an abortion--NO WAY! We're going to raise this child against all odds, it's not this kid's fault it's being born." Dylan protested.  
"Ok." Ellie said embracing Dylan.  
END FLASHBACK  
  
"What's wrong?" Marco woke up.  
"Just thinking."  
"It's going to be okay." Marco kissed him.  
In the middle of kissing him, Marco heard a noise that sounded like a child stirring. He broke away from the kiss to discover Eloise standing in the doorway.  
"Hi sweetie." Dylan blushed.  
"What's up?" Eloise sounded very awake.  
"Nothing. How come you're awake?" Marco asked.  
"I wanna go to school."  
"Ok, we'll sign you up first thing in the morning, but school doesn't start until the fall, is that okay?" Dylan asked her.  
"Yup, I just wanna go to school." She went back into her room.  
"School, she doesn't even have a technical last name." Marco fumed.  
"Call that sparrow guy, he's a lawyer, right, he'll solve it all."  
"Yea, but we're not married, and we're both men. What will she tell her teachers, I have two Daddies and no mommy. What'll we say her last name is...Del Rossi-Nash-Michalchuk?"  
"We'll think of something." Dylan reassured her. 


	6. Nice to Meet You Anyway

"You really wanna do this?" Dylan asked Marco.

"Yea, maybe it'll give Eloise and I a chance to bond, because afterall I'm not her _real_ father." Marco replied sarcastically.

Marco and Eloise walked down to the preschool a few blocks away. He hoped they weren't to late to sign her up.

"Well hi there. I'm Miss Sharon, are you here to sign up?" An older woman greeted them at the door.

"Yes, I'm Marco and this is Eloise."

"Okay! Marco I'll give you these forms to fill out. Eloise, do you wanna come in here with me." She said leading Eloise into the classroom. "I'm just going to get to know her a little bit, get her used to me." Miss Sharon told Marco.

Marco looked down at the forms he was asked to fill out. He realized they didn't really decide on a last name for Eloise. He would just have to decide on one. He wrote:

**Name:** Eloise Nash 

**Age:** 4 

**Parents/Guardians:** parents-Ellie Nash & Dylan Michalchuk guardians-Marco Del Rossi & Dylan Michalchuk 

As he was writing he heard Eloise and Miss Sharon talking. He knew it was wrong to eavesdrop, but he just had to know what Eloise knew about their family.

"Eloise, tell me about your family." Miss Sharon asked.

"I have two daddies, I don't know where my mommy is, but that's okay because I love my daddies." Eloise babbled.

"Is that your daddy outside?" Miss sharon asked.

"Yup, but not my _real_ daddy, my real daddy's at work. He works at a restaurant."

"Do you know why you have two daddies?"

"Yes, because I'm special, my real daddy said that most girls only get one daddy. Isn't that cool, I get two!" Eloise smiled.

Marco didn't know Dylan had talked to Eloise about having two fathers. He smiled inside of himself.

"Alright, can I see the forms please." Miss Sharon asked emerging from the room where she and Eloise talked.

Marco handed the forms and watched her nod or shake her head at what she was reading.

"Mr. Del Rossi, I have no doubt in my mind the you and Mr. Michalchuk are good parents, but I 'm not quite sure that a homosexual household is the best place for you to raise a child. Shouldn't she be living with her mother?"

"Her mother's dead." Marco mumbled.

"Oh, I see, well I applaud the two of you for taking her in, but you know sooner or later she's going to catch on." Miss Sharon snipped.

Marco was beginning to like Miss Sharon less and less.

"Well, is she in or not?" He tried to keep his cool.

"She's in." Miss Sharon nodded.

She handed Marco a school calendar and said goodbye to Eloise.

"Want lunch?" Marco asked as they were leaving, Miss Sharon's words still ringing in his ears.

They walked over to the restaurant to visit Dylan and eat lunch.

"Hey." Dylan said when he saw them.

"Eloise sweetie, do you wanna play with Joe while Daddy and I talk?" Marco asked.

"JOE!" Eloise ran to Marco & Dylan's co worker gleefully.

"She knows." Marco said.

"About what?" Dylan was completely clueless.

"She told the teacher _you_ were her real dad." Marco was a little upset.

"Do you think Ellie told her?"

"I don't know. Maybe this whole 'the three of us as a family.' thing is not going to work."

"What do you mean?"

"Maybe we should-"

"Breakup?" Dylan's eyes filled with tears as Marco walked over to a table and sat down.

"Music!" Eloise chirped from across the room.

The jukebox started to play and Marco let the words of the song "Nice to meet you Anyway." by Gavin Degraw wash over him as he thought about his decision.

I don't want to get too close  
I don't want to get too close  
You see this isn't where my head is  
If you knew me I'm not like this  
But I just found someone special  
And that's really something special  
If you knew me  
Nice to meet you anyway  
I believe you're very fine  
Still I haven't got the time  
Cause I just found someone special  
And that's really something special  
If you knew me  
Nice to meet you anyway  
And the sky opened up  
With the soil of the sun  
Dreaming of my true love  
I don't mean to be so strange  
But my life just took a change  
Cause I just found someone special  
And that's really something special  
If you knew me  
Nice to meet you anyway  
And the sky opened up  
With the soil of the sun  
Dreaming of my true love  
So before this goes too far  
Let me tell you what you are  
You're amazing, I'm attracted  
But I'm terribly distracted  
And I'm trying to be verbal  
And I'm back into this circle  
Cause I just found someone special  
And that's really something special  
If you knew me  
Nice to meet you  
Nice to meet you  
Nice to meet you anyway  
Nice to meet you anyway  
Nice to meet you anyway  
Nice to meet you anyway  
Nice to meet you anyway


	7. Love's Never Easy

"Eloise, sweetie.." Marco started as Eloise sat down. His eyes filled with tears "I'm gonna be going away for awh-"

"NO!" Eloise screamed "NO! DON'T!" She was now on the floor kicking and screaming.

Dylan finally calmed her down.

"My mommy went away, and now daddy's going away too?" She asked Dylan, sniffling.

"Only for a little bit." Dylan looked at Marco hopefully.

"Will you be back before school starts?"

"Maybe." Marco said.

"Say you will, please?" Eloise looked so scared.

"I can't do that honey, I'm sorry." Marco went into the bathroom with Dylan close behind him.

"You can't tell her you'll be back when she wants you. She obviously needs you." Dylan started to cry.

"I just-I don't know if this is the best relationship to raise a child in."

"Well I didn't exactly plan this." Dylan whimpered.

"Look, I love you, and I love Eloise, but after all I've-we've been through, I just need some time." Marco looked at Dylan with tears in his eyes."I'm gonna leave tonight, I'll find a hotel somewhere, you have my cell phone number and I have yours if anything goes wrong, all right?"

Dylan nodded.

"I'm gonna go home and pack." Marco kissed Dylan intending for it to be very passionate, but with all the tension in the air, it was more lack-luster.

Around 2, Dylan got out of work and left for home with Eloise. He put her down for her nap, and called Paige.

"Paige?"

"Yea, Dyl what's up, you sound upset?"

"Marco left." Dylan cried.

"What? You two were so the perfect couple."

"He just decided that with everything going on, this wasn't the best situation to raise a child in. I know he's right, but well, I kinda feel the same way you did when you and Spin broke up."

"But Spin and I got back together, and if Marco loves you as much as you love him, he'll return."

"Since when did you become so wise?" Dylan chuckled.

"Since my big brother needed my help." Paige giggled.

"I love you sis."

"I love you too. If you need anything you got my number." Paige hung up.

As Dylan hung up with Paige the phone rang again. It was Marco.

"I'm staying in the states for a while." Marco stated.

"What? That's so far."

"No it's only like 3 hours, It'll be fine."

"I still don't understand why you did this."

"I still don't understand why you slept with Ellie. Was I not good enough? You had to see why all the straight guys were raving about it?"

"I told you why-" Dylan started.

"Not Good Enough!" Marco hung up.

"Damn it!" Dylan started crying.

He went to the refridgerator and grabbed one of Marco's wine coolers. He pooped the top off and then thought of Eloise.

"I can't." He thoguht throwing away the full bottle.


	8. No Day But Today

**A/N: **Okay I have to admit I kinda stole some of the ideas for this chapter from the broadway musical "Rent." As much as I wish I did, I don't own "Rent" either (boo-hoo.)

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"I can make it through all this." Marco grimaced as he drove into New York City.

He needed to find a place to stay to clear his mind, and possibly even a job. But it seemed that every apartment building he went to didn't have any vacancies.

"Damn it!" Marco said a little too loud after he visited the last building.

"You okay honey?" A man in his twenties came up behind Marco.

"Yea, just need a place to live." Marco replied.

"Well, you can always try my apartment building, they're always lookin' for tenants." the man suggested.

"Thanks, I'm Marco by the way." Marco said, introducing himself.

"I'm Angel. The building's up this way." Angel said leading Marco toward the building.

Sure enough, there was a vacancy. As Marco was un packing Angel showed up at his apartment.

"Are you sure you're okay, you seem so sad." Ange lasked.

"Well, I just left my boyfriend in Canada because I found out he slept with my best friend when he was drunk, and they had a daughter together, and- I shouldn't be telling you all this." Marco realized.

"Don't worry about it, I understand, boyfriends can be rough." Angel replied gently.

"Tell me about it." Marco finished un packing.

"Whadda you say we go out tonight?" Angel offered.

"Well--"Marco started.

"I do not take no." Angel smiled.

"Alright, let's go." Marco locked he door and left with Angel.

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Dylan tried calling Marco's cell phone many times, but there was no answer. When he put Eloise to bed he climbed int ohis own bed and cried. Around midnight the phone rang.

"Marco!" Dylan was happy to hear his voice.

"Hey, how's everything?" Marco asked.

"Ok, I miss you. Why can't you come back?" Dylan asked longingly.

"Give me time." Marco hung up.

Why does he do this? Dylan wondered. He was upset, but he wasn't going to let Eloise catch on. He was going to take her shopping tomorrow.

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After he hung up the phone, Marco went to bed, thinking about what Angel had said to him that night. Angel told him that he had AIDS. Angel reminded Marco not to take life for granted, and that you should live life like there's "no but today," for you to live. Maybe that's what Marco should do with the situation at hand, treat it all like today was his last day on earth, he'd have to think it over first.


	9. Everyone Deserves A Chance to Live

"Hello?" Dylan answered the phone.

"How ya doin'?" Paige asked.

"Alright, Eloise has been acting a little depressed lately, Marco leaving has really had an effect on her." Dylan sighed.

"Sounds like it has had an effect on you too."

"It has."

"Hey, I have an idea, if there is away you can get a babysitter come out with me for a couple hours, it'll give us a chance to talk."

"Alright, I'll meet you at your house in half an hour." Dylan hung up and brought Eloise down to Miss Calloway's.

Dylan drove down to Paige's. He knew talking to her would help, but he wished he could talk to Marco. Where was he? What was he doing?

"Ready?" Paige asked getting in the car.

"Yea." Dylan replied half-heartedly.

They drove down to the beach and just sat and talked about everything going on.

"There's one thing I've been wondering," Paige said. "Did you want to be with Ellie?"

"No, why?"

"Tell me the truth. Even if you were drunk, you wouldn't just have sex with some random person, there _had_ to be a reason."

Dylan took a deep breath.

"The truth is...Marco was so close to Ellie, and I just-I just wanted to be close to her too. It started out as just talking, and then...we were both so wasted that...Elois happened."

"Oh." Paige nodded understandedly.

"I told her not to have and abortion because everyone deserves a chance to live."

"I never knew you felt that way."

"Yea, I wish I coulda been there for Ellie, I-I was just so scared."

"Dyl.." Paige sighed hugging him.

"Let's go home." Dylan said, tears coming to his eyes.

Marco picked up the phone.

"Hello?" Dylan answered.

"I'm coming home."

"Really?"

"I've had enough time to think over here. I love you."

" I love you too." Dylan hung up.

Marco had been home for two weeks, and was reading the paper when he stumbled across the obituaries.

Angel Dumott-Schunard

April 12, 1982-August 28,2004

The heart may freeze or it can burn  
The pain will ease if I can learn  
There is no future  
There is no past  
I live this moment as my last  
There's only us  
There's only this  
Forget regret  
Or life is yours to miss  
No other road  
No other way  
No day but today.

**A/N: **Thanks Sheena for the info!

From Rent.


	10. Seasons of Love

"Did you know her?" Dylan asked reading over Marco's shoulders.

"_Him_, yea, met him in New York."

"There was another guy?" Dylan seemed hurt.

"No, not at all, just a friend. He was the one who convinced me to come home."

"How'd he die?"

"AIDS."

Dylan sighed. "That's rough."

"Yea, but he always seemed happy. He just kind of, excepted it."

"Really?"

Marco nodded. He was about to throw his arms around Dylan when Eloise walked into the room.

"I'm ready for school." She smiled.

"School's not until tomorrow." Marco tossled her hair.

"I'm happy you're home again." Eloise grinned.

"Me too." He patted her head.

"So school's really not until tomorrow?" Eloise pouted.

"Sorry." Dylan smiled.

"Can I have a granola bar?" Eloise asked.

"Yup, I'll get one." Dylan went over to the kitchen to grab Eloise a granola bar.

Marco followed Dylan with his eyes. He really was happy to be home, he thought about home all the time while he was in New York. Speaking of New York, should he go to the funeral.

"What are you thinking about?" Dylan asked sitting next to him.

"Should I go to Angel's funeral?"

"Is it important to you?"

Marco thought for a moment. "Yea, it is."

"Then go."

Marco cut out the information for the funeral and went to go explain to Eloise.

"Eloise?"

"Hi daddy!"

"Hi, listen one of Daddy's friend's just...died, and Daddy needs to go to the funeral, ok?"

"When."

"I have to leave tomorrow."

"You'll miss my school."

"But you'll have more then one day of school." He reassured.

"Really?"

"Yes." Marco smiled.

"Ok, just don't miss the other ones."

"I won't." Marco smiled and went off to pack.

_**Seasons of Love**_

_**From Rent**_

_**  
525,600 minutes, 525,000 moments so dear. 525,600 minutes - how do you measure,  
measure a year? In daylights, in sunsets, in midnights, in cups of coffee. In  
inches, in miles, in laughter, in strife. In 525,600 minutes - how do you  
measure a year in the life?  
How about love? How about love? How about love? Measure in love. Seasons of  
love.  
  
525,600 minutes! 525,000 journeys to plan. 525,600 minutes - how can you measure  
the life of a woman or man?  
  
In truths that she learned, or in times that he cried. In bridges he burned, or  
the way that she died.  
  
It's time now to sing out, tho the story never ends let's celebrate remember a year in the life of friends. Remember  
the love! Remember the love! Remember  
the love! Measure in love. Seasons of love! Seasons of love.**_


	11. I love you

**A/N:** In case there was any question as to why I put Angel in the story, and how it all ties in, here's why: I have an obsession with Jai Rodriguez (from Queer Eye for the Straight Guy.) and I found out that he was coming back to Rent for a short while as Angel, the character he originated as. I was reading an interview, and he said that he had a few family members die of AIDS, and that _No Day But Today_ was their mantra.--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Marco sat in the church by himself. He didn't know _anybody_, and he wondered if he should really be there. But, in his heart he knew he owed it to Angel. If it weren't for Angel, he would still be in that little apartment worrying about Dylan and Eloise, he would still be acting like a spoiled little baby. Meeting Angel really opened up his eyes. He never really thought about how _thankful_ he should be for his life. At the end of the funeral, Marco walked up to Angel's coffin, and looked at all the pictures of Angel around it. In all of them, Angel was smiling, and just plain happy. He looked as though nothing was ever wrong.

"Thanks Angel." Marco whispered as he placed a rose on the coffin.

Marco walked out to his, and fumbled for his keys. As he reached into his wallet, an old picture of him and Dylan in highschool fell out.


End file.
